


Coming Out of My Cage And I've Been Doing Just--

by orphan_account



Series: the trio [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Coming Out, Friendship, Nonbinary Character, Not Beta Read, Trans Male Character, Vampires, the Denny's of Despair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 12:45:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19173553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: So this is what purgatory feels like, Declan muses as he sweeps his eyes across the room.-or, the one where declan comes out and learns a thing or two about his friends





	Coming Out of My Cage And I've Been Doing Just--

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: i've never been at a denny's that late at night also i don't know what i'm doing lmao

_ So this is what purgatory feels like, _ Declan muses as he sweeps his eyes across the room.

“It’s the Denny’s of Despair,” Al’s voice echoes in his mind. “A place in the middle of this deadbeat town to eat waffles and forget about the world for a while.”

He lingers in the doorway to catch his breath, sweat clinging to his skin from the walk--more like run, he huffs internally-- he took to get there. It isn’t too far from where he lives, but mentally preparing himself for tonight took more time than he thought, and he intended to be on time. The diner appears dead since it’s well past midnight, bright fluorescent lights bouncing off the empty tables and scorching his eyes a little. There’s a fuzzy quality to the edges of the diner, as if he’s at home dreaming and not actually awake at an ungodly hour. Despite being a 24 hour restaurant the few employees working probably don’t expect another customer so late at night, because the register lies unattended.

Well, they don’t expect any customers besides Allison and Mel. The tiny restaurant serves as the setting for the duo’s late night heart-to-heart talks, something a video call could never quite capture the intimacy of. Allison, the most reserved one in their trio of friends, even said one time she prefers talking with Mel there because of what’s shared: food, problems, time. 

Declan didn’t mind when she told him that they hang out there practically every night in the summer; they’ve been friends with each other far longer than they’ve known him, after all.  _ It’s also  _ creepy _ in there _ , he reasons. He can’t fathom how and why Allison and Mel chose such a desolate meeting spot tucked in the corner of some major highways that cut through the sleepy suburban town they live in. 

He supposes it could be because of their living situations. Al never knows when her parents will be home, and Mel would rather avoid interacting with their mother with guests over. He doesn’t even want to think about his cramped, single apartment that houses exactly one bed, one desk, and an ancient microwave. Still, one could imagine the thrill that ran through his body when Allison invited him to their next midnight talk earlier that week. They want  _ him _ to join  _ them. _ To join a personal ritual they’ve held constant since they were preteens. The anxiety has been building up in his chest ever since he got the text from Al.

It’s not that bad after all, Declan finally decides, it just gives off weird vibes because there are no people. His stomach turns in uncertainty just the same at the mere thought of being there. It’s not that he’s bothered by the unusual time of their rendezvous, no sir. The three of them all know how screwed up each others’ sleep patterns are. Time isn’t the problem here. It’s just--well.

Declan is trans, and he hasn’t come out to them yet.

He absentmindedly pulls at the straps of his drawstring bag, eyes wandering past the tables until he finds the small booth in the back where his friends sit. Coming out to them occupies his mind all the time; countless sleepless nights were spent thinking about telling the two of them and hopefully finding the support he desperately needs. Declan isn’t close to many people outside of their trio-- he keeps the casual friends he made from his first year at college at a distance out of fear they’ll reject him if he ever comes out. Tonight presented itself as the perfect opportunity for him to come out to Allison and Mel.

“Hey D, over here!” Mel calls from their seat, as if Declan would have trouble finding them. He walks over to them while readying himself for a wave of anxiety to take him.

“Hey guys.” He pulls the neck of his tank top down to loosen it from his body. “It’s hot as shit tonight.”

“You’re telling me,” Allison responds from the left side of the table, almost entirely covered in heavy black lace. Her vibrant purple hair glows starkly under her veil. At this point in their friendship, he just accepts whatever elaborate outfit he finds her in.

Mel snorts. “I mean, it was  _ your _ choice to wear the edgiest outfit you have. Anyway,” they turn to face Declan. “You hungry? We ordered a  _ ton _ . Eat some fries!”

They eagerly gesture towards the table where plates of waffles, pancakes, and fries sit half-eaten. The waffles and pancakes look good, though Declan can barely see the fries under the huge layer of whipped cream and syrup, definitely courtesy of Mel.

“I’ll pass.” He takes the spot next to Al, tossing his bag under the chair and hoping his nerves will go down with time. “What’s new with you two?”

 

\-----

 

“Hey, are you alright? You seem a little off,” Allison tells him.

Declan’s eyes lift up from the table to meet hers. “Just peachy,” he replies. It’s nearing two am, and he finds himself spacing out. Conversation comes easy with these two, but the pressure to come out before going home for the night is weighing heavily on his mind, and the plates of food are demolished so he can’t distract himself with pancakes. He does his best to make his nervousness less obvious, straightening his back and drinking a sip of water.

A minute later he’s squirming where he sits, the words a deadweight on his tongue just waiting to jump out. “I have something to tell you,” he blurts out, stumbling through the lump in his throat. Allison rests her arm across his shoulders and presses him into a quick side hug. Mel leans forward to hear him better.

“Well, that’s what the Denny’s of Despair is for. Lay it on us.” The sincerity in their voice makes Declan’s heart ache with a deep appreciation for his friends along with nausea because he _wants_ them to know and he wants them to know _now_. He shuts his eyes so he won’t have to meet theirs.

He gulps. “So. I’m a guy. My name’s Declan. I never told you guys because I’m still going stealth. I, uh, hope that’s okay.”

It’s as if time freezes in the booth. He holds his breath. Waits for an answer.

Mel’s voice comes out gentle. “Oh, honey, it’s okay, we--”

“Well,” Allison interjects. “I’m a vampire.”

Wait. “Huh?” His eyes fly open and he scoots away from her arms. This wasn’t the reaction he was expecting. This wasn’t _anything_ he was expecting. “You--What?”

Allison cringes in panic. Mel’s face is troubled, lips pulled down in a frown. For a good minute, Declan forgets how to think. He doesn’t want to ask her to repeat herself. It’s too absurd. Allison, a vampire? It can’t be true. The three avoid each other’s gazes.

Declan tries to collect his thoughts. “That’s not a gender though?” It comes out sounding more like a question than a statement.

Allison shoves the veil away from her face to see him properly, hands waving frantically. 

“Right, you’re right. I didn’t mean that, I--yeah, no, I’m cis. A, uh, cis. Vampire. I just-- since you were coming out, I wanted to add that. If it makes you feel any better,” she says weakly. It leaves him more confused than before.

“So you were telling the truth?” Her hands fall to her lap as she nods.

Mel breaks the quiet. “This is awkward,” they announce.

“No shit,” Allison hisses.

“Let’s take this to my house.” Mel pushes up from the table and grabs their keys. “We’re all going to talk this out and actually _listen_ to each other _._ ” They look pointedly at Al.

Declan stammers. “But, Mel, your mom--”

“--won’t come home until next week. Y’all know she doesn’t care about me, and what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Now, you trusted us enough to tell us something personal about yourself. Do you trust us to explain what just happened, Declan?”

He nods and follows them into the parking lot with Al trailing behind.

 

\-----

 

The drive to Mel’s house is awkward as _hell_. Declan fidgets in the passenger seat while Allison sits rigidly in the back. Mel speeds through the empty streets, loudly scolding him for walking all the way from his apartment to the restaurant.

“I can’t believe you. I thought you were at least taking your bike!” They tsk. “You literally live a block away from me, dude, I could have picked you up before I got Al.”

Amidst their half-serious rant, Allison leans forward in her seat.

“Sorry,” comes her low voice, “for interrupting your coming out. I shouldn’t have.”

“I guess it’s okay? I still don’t know how to feel about you being a vampire, though.” He cranes his neck to get a better look at her. With the moonlight shining against the front, he can see every detail of her face: her sincere eyes, her purple hair, the veil framing it all.

“No, I mean it. I know how anxious you can get, and I thought if I told you about myself you wouldn’t feel as pressured to explain yourself. But I ended up derailing.”

“Yeah,” Mel adds. They take a hand off the steering wheel to shift gears and turn to Declan. The car sits in the parking lot where they live. “You don’t have to forgive her so quickly. She did the same thing to me when we first met, it was wild.”

“Okay then.” Declan takes a deep breath. “Let’s go inside and talk vampires.”

“Not so fast, mister. We gotta talk about what you’re comfortable with,” Mel points to him and then themself, “and I need some tea.”

With that Mel exits the car to unlock the front entrance. 

 

\-----

 

Strings of tea lights illuminate the room with a soft blue glow, and the scent of sandalwood and vanilla drapes over them. Mel’s room is organized, really, if you overlook the clothes and books littering the floor. And all the stuffed animals. And pillows. Among the disarray lies the trio.

Mel sits atop their bed, stirring honey into their tea. “Do you have anything else you want to say or explain, or can we ask some questions?”

Declan shrugs from where he sits on the floor. “I kind of said my piece, but I don't mind if you want to ask me something.”

Allison and Mel nod pensively before Al speaks up, laying on the ground facing him.

“Should we keep this between ourselves or does your school know too?”

“Ah,” he grabs a pillow to squeeze. “You guys are the only people I've come out to, and I'd like to keep it that way.” They hum in agreement.

“How else do you want us to support you?” Mel asks.

“Just. Believe me?” He pauses, uncertain of how to follow up. “Like, I tried coming out to my family, but they didn't think I was serious, and I don't pass, so. I just have you two.”

“Darling,” Mel coos. They put their tea aside and slide down to hug him. “You alone decide your gender, no matter how you look. I of all people should know.”

Allison joins the hug. “We both love you, Declan.” His name sounds like a breath of fresh air coming out of her mouth. “And we'll be with you every step of the way.”

“Thank you.” He leans into her shoulder.

“Thank you for sharing with us. Still up for learning about vampires?”

“Hell yeah.”

Declan figures it makes sense that Allison isn’t human, despite initially seeing her Victorian fashion sense and nonexistent sleep schedule as just a Goth Girl™ thing. He spent a good chunk of the early morning hours learning everything he could from his friends, discovering Allison is more half dead than vampire (“It’s basically the same thing,” she said).

“Did you know Al was a vampire the whole time?” Declan asks.

Mel fluffs their cropped hair and nods.

“Yeah, it’s a funny story, actually. We met at a fair and she showed me her fangs.”  
Declan’s eyes widen. “When was this?”

“During middle school.” Al scoots closer to him. “I turned in, like, 6th grade, but I age like a human.”

“Cool.”

Mel yawns, which causes a chain reaction from the other two. They reach for their cup on the nightstand. “Well, kids, my tea is officially cold and I want to sleep. Thanks for coming out to us, Declan.”

“Night, Mel,” the two respond in unison.

Allison and Declan lay on the floor in silence for a while, watching how the light pooling from the edges of the curtains gradually brightens. Declan slouches down to fully lay on the ground. He can’t believe the night he’s had. First he comes out and now Allison’s a vampire.

“Hey.” She grunts as she lays down next to him. “Thanks again for trusting us with this.”

“Thanks for being cool.” He brings a blanket over their legs. “I was so worried about how you’d react. Doesn’t help that you dropped a truth bomb right after, either.”

“You love me” Allison says dryly. She cracks a smile and--oh boy, there are fangs. That’s new.

A groan rises from his right.

“Pardon my French, but shut the fuck up so I can sleep,” Mel complains.

“Shit, we better sleep before they kill us,” Allison stage-whispers to Declan. A pillow promptly hits her head at that, and they both giggle.

“Alright, Mel, we’re sleeping now,” he returns. “Though I think the sun’s coming up already.” A disgruntled huff is their only response as their slow breathing comes moments later.

Allison pats his shoulder. “Guess it’s time for you to hit the hay, too, Dec.”

“Yeah.” The nickname swims in his mind, sticky and sweet like the honey in Mel’s tea. He can feel his eyelids growing heavier. He snuggles into the comfort of the blankets and pillows, glad that when he wakes up his friends will be there to welcome him. “Night.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> waddup this is my first post on ao3!! i wanted a semi-anonymous place to put my own writing, so here we are! if you know me irl and you find this, henlo. it's me. sorry for not telling you about this.
> 
> this was just 8+ pages of me projecting on my OCs but i'm proud of it regardless. they're all my children and i love them so much.  
> tysm for taking the time to read this!


End file.
